Youth Artist Competition

Dexter Community Orchestra Youth Artist Competition

The Dexter Community Orchestra is excited to announce our annual Youth Artist Competition for talented young musicians! The winner will have the chance to solo with the orchestra on May 10, 2025, and will receive a $500 cash prize.

Eligibility
Open to instrumentalists and vocalists in grades 6–12 who live or attend school in Washtenaw, Oakland, Wayne, Monroe, Lenawee, Jackson, Livingston, or Ingham counties. Past winners are ineligible.

Application Requirements

  • Submit a completed application, a $10 fee, and an unedited audio recording of your performance (with accompaniment).

  • Performance time (excluding tutti sections) must not exceed 15 minutes.

  • Musical selections must have orchestral accompaniment available for purchase or rental.

  • Recordings must be audio-only, unedited, and free of meta-data.

  • Submit electronically via this Google Form or email to dcoyouthartist@gmail.com, or mail a CD/USB with your application and payment to:
    DCO Youth Artist Competition, P.O. Box 331, Dexter, MI 48130

Important Dates

  • Deadline for Applications: January 19, 2025

  • Finalists Announced: February 9, 2025

  • Finals: March 15/16 or 22/23, 2025 (TBD)

For full application details, please review the guidelines carefully. We look forward to hearing your performance!


Each year, the Dexter Community Orchestra hosts a Youth Orchestra Competition with the goal of supporting and promoting talented young musicians in our community. By recognizing these musicians, the DCO strives to offer a platform where talented young individuals can showcase their talents as they develop into the next generation of performers. The winner has the opportunity to perform a concerto with a full orchestra, and will be recognized with a prize amount of $500. 

The competition is open to all piano, band, orchestra, and vocal students in grades 6 through 12 who reside in or attend school in any of the following Michigan counties: Washtenaw, Oakland, Wayne, Monroe, Lenawee, Jackson, Livingston, and Ingham. Past winners are ineligible. 

Previous winners include:

  • 2024 Shuya Zheng, piano

  • 2023 Nathan Leung, saxophone

  • 2022 Ella Saputra, violin

  • 2020 Derek Zhu, piano

  • 2019 Elizabeth Li, flute

  • 2018 Yoav Hayut, violin

  • 2017 Alon Hayut, cello

  • 2016 Charles Berofsky, piano

  • 2015 Bum NamKoong, Bb clarinet

  • 2014 Paddy Harvey, cello and Forrest Flesher, piano

  • 2013 Emma Sandberg, violin

  • 2012 Stuart Carlson, violin and Giancarlo Latta, violin

  • 2011 Davis West, violin

  • 2010 Jacob Joyce, violin

  • 2009 Nathaniel Pierce, cello

  • 2008 J. Jesse Bennett, piano

  • 2007 Daniel Park, clarinet

  • 2006 Maria Xiang, horn and Sarah Schroeder, cello

For questions about the Youth Artist Competition, please contact dcoyouthartist@gmail.com.